U.S. patent application number 13/616045 was filed with the patent office on 2013-06-27 for display apparatus and non-transitory storage medium storing program.
This patent application is currently assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA. The applicant listed for this patent is Sadaaki Miyazaki. Invention is credited to Sadaaki Miyazaki.
Application Number | 20130162662 13/616045 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48654070 |
Filed Date | 2013-06-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130162662 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Miyazaki; Sadaaki |
June 27, 2013 |
DISPLAY APPARATUS AND NON-TRANSITORY STORAGE MEDIUM STORING
PROGRAM
Abstract
A display apparatus, including: a display switching unit which,
when at least one image is being displayed, cyclically switches the
image to be displayed in an ascending order or a descending order;
a command receiving unit which receives a predefined-image display
command which causes a predefined image to be displayed; an
image-number obtaining unit which, when the predefined-image
display command is received, obtains the number of images within a
range from the image being displayed to the predefined image for
each of the ascending order and/or the descending order; and a
switching-order determining unit which determines, as a switching
order, the ascending order or the descending order with a fewer
number of images being present in the range. When the
predefined-image display command is received, the display switching
unit displays the predefined image by switching the image to be
displayed in the determined switching order.
Inventors: |
Miyazaki; Sadaaki;
(Nagoya-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Miyazaki; Sadaaki |
Nagoya-shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
Aichi-ken
JP
|
Family ID: |
48654070 |
Appl. No.: |
13/616045 |
Filed: |
September 14, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
345/522 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 1/00411 20130101;
G06F 3/0485 20130101; H04N 1/00517 20130101; H04N 1/00435 20130101;
G06T 1/00 20130101; G06F 3/0482 20130101; G06F 3/048 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/522 |
International
Class: |
G06T 1/00 20060101
G06T001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 26, 2011 |
JP |
2011-282980 |
Claims
1. A display apparatus, comprising: a display; a storage configured
to store order information representative of a display order of a
plurality of images to be displayed on the display; a processor;
and a memory configured to store instructions that are executed by
the processor to cause the display apparatus to function as: an
image display unit configured to display at least one image of the
plurality of images on the display; a display switching unit
configured, when the at least one image of the plurality of images
is being displayed on the display by the image display unit, to
switch the image to be displayed on the display in one of an
ascending order and a descending order based on the order
information stored in the storage, wherein the ascending order is
an order from a first image toward a last image in the display
order and is an order in which an image to be displayed following
the last image in the display order is the first image in the
display order, and wherein the descending order is an order from
the last image toward the first image in the display order and is
an order in which an image to be displayed following the first
image in the display order is the last image in the display order;
a command receiving unit configured, when the at least one image of
the plurality of images is being displayed on the display by the
image display unit, to receive a predefined-image display command
which causes a predefined one of the plurality of images to be
displayed on the display as a predefined image; an image-number
obtaining unit configured, when the predefined-image display
command is received by the command receiving unit, to obtain at
least one of; the number of images present within a range from the
image being displayed on the display to the predefined image in the
ascending order; and the number of images present within a range
from the image being displayed on the display to the predefined
image in the descending order; and a switching-order determining
unit configured, based on the at least one of the numbers of images
obtained by the image-number obtaining unit, to determine one order
of the ascending order and the descending order as a switching
order of the images based on the predefined-image display command,
a fewer number of images being present in the range in the one
order than in the other order of the ascending order and the
descending order, wherein the display switching unit is configured,
when the predefined-image display command is received by the
command receiving unit, to display the predefined image on the
display by switching the image to be displayed on the display in
the switching order determined by the switching-order determining
unit.
2. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the command
receiving unit is configured to allow the reception of the
predefined-image display command in a case where the at least one
image is being displayed on the display by the image display unit,
and the predefined image is not included in the displayed at least
one image.
3. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
instructions stored in the memory are designed to cause the display
apparatus to function as an operation unit operable to output the
predefined-image display command, and wherein the command receiving
unit is configured to allow the operation of the operation unit in
a case where the at least one image is being displayed on the
display by the image display unit, and the predefined image is not
included in the displayed at least one image
4. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display
switching unit is configured, when the predefined-image display
command is received by the command receiving unit, to switch the
image to be displayed on the display by moving the image in the
switching order determined by the switching-order determining unit
at such a speed that a length of time required from the reception
to the display of the predefined image on the display becomes a
specific length of time.
5. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
instructions stored in the memory are designed to cause the display
apparatus to function as a display-data creating unit configured,
when the predefined-image display command is received by the
command receiving unit, to create display data to display at least
one image on the display, before the predefined image is displayed,
while moving the at least one image by specific moving amounts in
the switching order determined by the switching-order determining
unit, and wherein the display switching unit is configured, when
the predefined-image display command is received by the command
receiving unit, to switch the image to be displayed on the display
by sequentially displaying the at least one image on the display
based on the display data created by the display-data creating
unit.
6. The display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, when the
predefined-image display command is received by the command
receiving unit, the specific moving amount is calculated such that
a length of time required from the reception to the display of the
predefined image on the display becomes a specific length of
time.
7. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image
display unit is configured to display a plurality of screens as the
at least one image to be displayed on the display, and wherein,
when one of the plurality of screens is being displayed on the
display by the image display unit, and the command receiving unit
has received, as the predefined-image display command, a command
for displaying on the display one of the plurality of screens which
is predefined as a predefined screen, the display switching unit
displays the predefined screen on the display by switching a screen
to be displayed on the display in the switching order determined by
the switching-order determining unit
8. The display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the
plurality of screens include at least a function screen capable of
containing at least one function image therein that is for
commanding a predefined function, and wherein, when the
predefined-image display command is received by the command
receiving unit in a case where a function screen not containing the
at least one function image therein is present within a range from
the screen being displayed on the display to the predefined screen,
the image-number obtaining unit obtains at least one of: a number
that is obtained by subtracting the number of the function screens
each not containing the at least one function image therein from
the number of the screens present within the range in the ascending
order; and a number that is obtained by subtracting the number of
the function screens each not containing the at least one function
image therein from the number of the screens present within the
range in the descending order.
9. The display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the
instructions stored in the memory are designed to cause the display
apparatus to function as a display-data creating unit configured,
when the predefined-image display command is received by the
command receiving unit, to create display data to display at least
one screen that does not include the function screen not containing
the function image is displayed on the display, before the
predefined screen is displayed, while moving the at least one
screen by specific moving amounts in the switching order determined
by the switching-order determining unit, and wherein the display
switching unit is configured, when the predefined-image display
command is received by the command receiving unit, to switch the
screen to be displayed on the display by sequentially displaying
the at least one screen on the display based on the display data
created by the display-data creating unit.
10. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
instructions stored in the memory are designed to cause the display
apparatus to function as; a second-command receiving unit
configured, when the at least one image of the plurality of images
is being displayed on the display by the image display unit, to
receive an image switch command which is different from the
predefined-image display command and which causes the switch of the
image to be displayed on the display in one of the ascending order
and the descending order based on the order information stored in
the storage; and a switching-order storing unit configured, when
the image switch command is received by the second-command
receiving unit, to store a switching order of the images based on
the image switch command, into the storage, wherein the
switching-order determining unit is configured, in a case where the
number of images present within the range in the ascending order is
equal to the number of images within the range in the descending
order, to determine a switching order that is reverse to the
switching order stored by the switching-order storing unit, as the
switching order based on the predefined-image display command.
11. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image
display unit is configured to display a plurality of images as the
at least one image to be displayed on the display, such that one
image of the plurality of images being displayed on the display is
displayed in a different manner from that of the other images of
the plurality of images being displayed on the display, wherein the
image-number obtaining unit is configured to obtain at least one
of: the number of images present within a range from the one image
being displayed on the display in the different manner to the
predefined image in the ascending order; and the number of images
present within a range from the one image being displayed on the
display in the different manner to the predefined image in the
descending order, and wherein the switching-order determining unit
is configured, based on the at least one of the numbers of images
obtained by the image-number obtaining unit, to determine the one
order of the ascending order and the descending order as the
switching order of the images based on the predefined-image display
command, the fewer number of images being present in the range in
the one order than in the other order.
12. A non-transitory storage medium storing a program executed by a
computer of a display apparatus comprising a display and a storage
configured to store order information representative of a display
order of a plurality of images to be displayed on the display, the
program designed to have the computer function as: an image display
unit configured to display at least one image of the plurality of
images on the display; a display switching unit configured, when
the at least one image of the plurality of images is being
displayed on the display by the image display unit, to switch the
image to be displayed on the display in one of an ascending order
and a descending order based on the order information stored in the
storage, wherein the ascending order is an order from a first image
toward a last image in the display order and is an order in which
an image to be displayed following the last image in the display
order is the first image in the display order, and wherein the
descending order is an order from the last image toward the first
image in the display order and is an order in which an image to be
displayed following the first image in the display order is the
last image in the display order; a command receiving unit
configured, when the at least one image of the plurality of images
is being displayed on the display by the image display unit, to
receive a predefined-image display command which causes a
predefined one of the plurality of images to be displayed on the
display as a predefined image; an image-number obtaining unit
configured, when the predefined-image display command is received
by the command receiving unit, to obtain at least one of: the
number of images present within a range from the image being
displayed on the display to the predefined image in the ascending
order; and the number of images present within a range from the
image being displayed on the display to the predefined image in the
descending order; and a switching-order determining unit
configured, based on the at least one of the numbers of images
obtained by the image-number obtaining unit, to determine one order
of the ascending order and the descending order as a switching
order of the images based on the predefined-image display command,
a fewer number of images being present in the range in the one
order than in the other order of the ascending order and the
descending order, wherein the display switching unit is configured,
when the predefined-image display command is received by the
command receiving unit, to display the predefined image on the
display by switching the image to be displayed on the display in
the switching order determined by the switching-order determining
unit.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent
Application No. 2011-282980, which was filed on Dec. 26, 2011, the
disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its
entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a display apparatus and a
non-transitory storage medium storing a program for the display
apparatus.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] There is known a display apparatus in which a screen
displays a cylindrical or polyhedral rotational body with a
plurality of icons arranged on its outer surface. The rotational
body, when operated by a user, rotates in an up and down direction
or a right and left direction to switch icons to be displayed.
SUMMARY
[0006] To rotate the rotational body in this display apparatus,
however, the user needs to move a touch object (such as a finger)
on the screen in a direction in which the user wants to rotate the
rotational body. Thus, the more the number of icons arranged on the
rotational body, the more operations the user has to perform before
a desired icon is displayed, resulting in complicated
operations.
[0007] In order to solve this problem, it is possible to consider a
technique in which a predetermined key operation is designed to
cause the rotation of the rotational body to switch a currently
displayed icon to an icon that is defined as a reference in advance
(hereinafter may be referred to as "reference icon"). The
rotational direction of the rotational body, however, includes two
directions opposite to each other, e.g., one direction and a
direction reverse to the one direction. Thus, if the
above-described technique is employed, a distance from the
currently displayed icon to the reference icon may be long in some
rotational direction, and accordingly a length of time from the
predetermined key operation to the display of the reference icon is
made longer unfortunately. It is noted that such a problem also
arises in various displays other than the display of the icons. For
example, such a problem arises in a display apparatus configured to
display one of a plurality of screens each containing at least one
icon by switching these screens in a predetermined display
order.
[0008] This invention has been developed to provide a display
apparatus and a non-transitory storage medium storing a program,
capable of enhancing convenience to a user where a plurality of
images such as icons and screens are displayed by being switched in
a display order.
[0009] The present invention provides a display apparatus,
comprising: a display; a storage configured to store order
information representative of a display order of a plurality of
images to be displayed on the display; a processor; and a memory
configured to store instructions that are executed by the processor
to cause the display apparatus to function as: an image display
unit configured to display at least one image of the plurality of
images on the display; a display switching unit configured, when
the at least one image of the plurality of images is being
displayed on the display by the image display unit, to switch the
image to be displayed on the display in one of an ascending order
and a descending order based on the order information stored in the
storage, wherein the ascending order is an order from a first image
toward a last image in the display order and is an order in which
an image to be displayed following the last image in the display
order is the first image in the display order, and wherein the
descending order is an order from the last image toward the first
image in the display order and is an order in which an image to be
displayed following the first image in the display order is the
last image in the display order; a command receiving unit
configured, when the at least one image of the plurality of images
is being displayed on the display by the image display unit, to
receive a predefined-image display command which causes a
predefined one of the plurality of images to be displayed on the
display as a predefined image; an image-number obtaining unit
configured, when the predefined-image display command is received
by the command receiving unit, to obtain at least one of: the
number of images present within a range from the image being
displayed on the display to the predefined image in the ascending
order; and the number of images present within a range from the
image being displayed on the display to the predefined image in the
descending order; and a switching-order determining unit
configured, based on the at least one of the numbers of images
obtained by the image-number obtaining unit, to determine one order
of the ascending order and the descending order as a switching
order of the images based on the predefined-image display command,
a fewer number of images being present in the range in the one
order than in the other order of the ascending order and the
descending order, wherein the display switching unit is configured,
when the predefined-image display command is received by the
command receiving unit, to display the predefined image on the
display by switching the image to be displayed on the display in
the switching order determined by the switching-order determining
unit.
[0010] The present invention also provides a non-transitory storage
medium storing a program executed by a computer of a display
apparatus comprising a display and a storage configured to store
order information representative of a display order of a plurality
of images to be displayed on the display, the program designed to
have the computer function as: an image display unit configured to
display at least one image of the plurality of images on the
display; a display switching unit configured, when the at least one
image of the plurality of images is being displayed on the display
by the image display unit, to switch the image to be displayed on
the display in one of an ascending order and a descending order
based on the order information stored in the storage, wherein the
ascending order is an order from a first image toward a last image
in the display order and is an order in which an image to be
displayed following the last image in the display order is the
first image in the display order, and wherein the descending order
is an order from the last image toward the first image in the
display order and is an order in which an image to be displayed
following the first image in the display order is the last image in
the display order; a command receiving unit configured, when the at
least one image of the plurality of images is being displayed on
the display by the image display unit, to receive a
predefined-image display command which causes a predefined one of
the plurality of images to be displayed on the display as a
predefined image; an image-number obtaining unit configured, when
the predefined-image display command is received by the command
receiving unit, to obtain at least one of: the number of images
present within a range from the image being displayed on the
display to the predefined image in the ascending order; and the
number of images present within a range from the image being
displayed on the display to the predefined image in the descending
order; and a switching-order determining unit configured, based on
the at least one of the numbers of images obtained by the
image-number obtaining unit, to determine one order of the
ascending order and the descending order as a switching order of
the images based on the predefined-image display command, a fewer
number of images being present in the range in the one order than
in the other order of the ascending order and the descending order,
wherein the display switching unit is configured, when the
predefined-image display command is received by the command
receiving unit, to display the predefined image on the display by
switching the image to be displayed on the display in the switching
order determined by the switching-order determining unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The objects, features, advantages, and technical and
industrial significance of the present invention will be better
understood by reading the following detailed description of the
embodiment of the invention, when considered in connection with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electric con figuration
of an MFP according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a view schematically showing a screen information
table;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing one example of a
cyclically-arranged screen set;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a schematic view for explaining calculation of a
moving distance from a currently displayed screen to a predefined
screen;
[0016] FIGS. 5A-5D are schematic views for explaining scrolling
from the currently displayed screen to the predefined screen;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a
cyclically-arranged-screen-set display processing;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a transition-direction
determination processing; and
[0019] FIGS. 8A and 8B are views for explaining a modification.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TIE EMBODIMENT
[0020] Hereinafter, there will be described one embodiment of the
present invention by reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block
diagram showing an electric configuration of a multi-function
peripheral (MFP) 1 as one example of a display apparatus. The MFP 1
has various functions such as a copying function, a facsimile
function, a scanning function, a printing function, and a "media
printing" function,
[0021] The MFP 1 according to the present embodiment is configured
such that a screen being displayed (a currently displayed screen)
can be switched to a predefined screen which is defined as a
reference in advance, with a single operation in a state in which
an LCD 16 displays a cyclically-arranged screen set 50 (see FIG. 3)
constituted by a plurality of screens which are switchable
cyclically in a predetermined display order. In particular, in a
case where the screen is switched to the predefined screen with the
single operation, the MFP 1 according to the present embodiment
determines a switching order of the screens with the least number
of screens to be switched in a process before the predefined screen
is displayed, allowing a user to easily recognize the screens being
switched. It is noted that the wording "switchable cyclically in a
predetermined display order" means that, when screens are switched
or scrolled in a direction directed from the first screen to the
last screen of the display order, the last screen can be switched
to the first screen as a next screen and that, when the screens are
switched or scrolled in a direction directed from the last screen
to the first screen of the display order, the first screen can be
switched to the last screen as a next screen.
[0022] The MFP 1 includes a CPU 10, a flash memory 11, a RAM 12,
the LCD 16, a touch panel 17, a scanner 18, a printer 19, an NCU
20, a modem 21, a USB interface (USB I/F) 22, and a memory-card
interface (memory-card I/F) 23. The CPU 10, the flash memory 11,
and the RAM 12 are connected to one another by a bus line 27. Also,
the LCD 16, the touch panel 17, the scanner 18, the printer 19, the
NCU 20, the modem 21, the USB I/F 22, the memory-card I/F 23, and
the bus line 27 are connected to one another by an input and output
port 28.
[0023] The CPU 10 controls the components connected to the input
and output port 28 and the various functions of the MFP 1 according
to fixed values and programs stored in the flash memory 11, data
stored in the RAM 12, or various signals which are transmitted and
received via the NCU 20.
[0024] The flash memory 11 is a non-transitory memory that stores,
for example, a control program 11a for controlling operations of
the MFP 1. It is noted that processings, which will be described
below, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are executed by the CPU 10 according
to the control program 11a.
[0025] The flash memory 11 includes a screen information table 11b,
a transition direction memory 11c, and a display image memory 11d.
The screen information table 11b is a table that stores a plurality
of set values which are respectively assigned to five screens of
the cyclically-arranged screen set 50 (see FIG. 3). The screen
information table 11b will be explained later in detail with
reference to FIG. 2. The transition direction memory 11c is an area
for storing a direction of a screen transition when a transition of
a display screen is made during the display of the
cyclically-arranged screen set 50 by a flick operation or an
operation on one of next-screen transition buttons 73, 74 (see FIG.
3). The display image memory 11d is an area that stores images
(e.g., background images, parts images such as icons) required for
the display of screens 50a-50e (see FIG. 3) of the
cyclically-arranged screen set 50. To display the
cyclically-arranged screen set 50 (the screens 50a-50e) on the LCD
16, the CPU 10 reads images required for the screen to be
displayed, from the display image memory 11d and creates display
data for the screen in an LCD buffer 12a to display the screen on
the LCD 16.
[0026] The RAM 12 is a rewritable transitory memory which has a
temporary area for temporarily storing various data when the CPU 10
executes the control program 11a. This temporary area is provided
with the LCD buffer 12a for temporarily storing the display data
required for the screen to be displayed on the LCD 16.
[0027] The LCD 16 is a liquid crystal display. The touch panel 17
is provided on a display screen of the LCD 16. When the user
touches the display screen of the LCD 16, the touch panel 17
detects a location and a type of the touch and inputs them into the
MFP 1. The scanner 18 reads a document and converts it to image
data. The printer 19 prints an image on a recording sheet based on
image data. The NCU 20 controls a telephone line. The modem 21
modulates a transmission signal when a facsimile is transmitted,
and demodulates a received modulated signal when a facsimile is
received. The USB I/F 22 is a device that allows an external
device, e.g., a PC, to establish a communicable connection with the
MFP 1 via a USE cable. This USE I/F 22 is constituted by a
well-known device. The memory-card I/F 23 is an interface in which
a non-transitory storage medium, not shown, in the form of a memory
card is installed. The memory-card I/F 23 controls writing and
reading of data to and from the memory card.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, the screen information table 11b
includes storage areas 11b1-11b4, each of which can store a set
value or values for the five screens constituting the
cyclically-arranged screen set 50 (see FIG. 3).
[0029] The storage area 11b1 stores screen numbers which are
assigned to the respective five screens 50a-50e (see FIG. 3) of the
cyclically-arranged screen set 50. It is noted that the screen
numbers 1-5 stored in the storage area 11b1 correspond to the
respective screens 50a-50e. The storage area 11b2 stores names of
the screens corresponding to the respective screen numbers 1-5.
[0030] The storage area 11b3 stores predefined screen flags for the
screens corresponding to the respective screen numbers 1-5. Each of
the predefined screen flags is a flag which indicates whether a
corresponding one of the screens is the predefined screen
Specifically, if the predefined screen flag is "1", the screen
corresponding to this flag is the predefined screen. On the other
hand, if the predefined screen flag is "0", the screen
corresponding to this flag is not the predefined screen. In the
present embodiment, the user can perform a predetermined operation
to set one screen as the predefined screen among the five screens
of the cyclically-arranged screen set 50. Thus, among the
predefined screen flags stored in the storage area 11b3, only one
flag is set to "1" while the other flags are set to "0". In the
example shown in FIG. 2, the predefined screen flag for the screen
corresponding to the screen number 1 is "1", and consequently the
screen 50a (see FIG. 3) that is the screen corresponding to the
screen number 1 is set as the predefined screen. It is noted that
when the predefined screen is changed with the predetermined
operation, settings of the predefined screen flags stored in the
storage area 11b3 are changed accordingly.
[0031] The five screens include screens that contain a plurality of
shortcut buttons, on each of which the user can register a function
(hereinafter these screens may be referred to as "function
screens"). The storage area 11b4 stores values (information) each
of which indicates a registration status of a function on a
corresponding one of the shortcut buttons for each function screen.
In the present embodiment, three screens corresponding to the
respective screen numbers 3-5, namely, the screens 50c-50e(see FIG.
3) are the function screens. Accordingly, for the screens 50c-50e
corresponding to the respective screen numbers 3-5, the storage
area 11b4 stores the values (information) each indicating the
registration status of the function on the corresponding shortcut
button. On the other hand, no shortcut buttons are contained in
each of the screens corresponding to the respective screen numbers
1, 2, and the storage area 11b4 stores no values (information) for
them.
[0032] Six areas 11b4a-11b4f store the values each indicating the
registration status of the function on the corresponding one of the
six shortcut buttons 1-6 contained in each of the function screens.
Specifically, when a function is registered on a certain shortcut
button, functional information corresponding to the registered
function is stored in a corresponding one of the areas 11b4a-11b4f.
When the user operates the shortcut button on which the function
has been registered, the registered function is implemented based
on the functional information stored in one of the areas
11b4a-11b4f which corresponds to the operated shortcut button. On
the other hand, "0" is stored for the shortcut button on which no
function is registered.
[0033] In the example shown in FIG. 2, functions corresponding to
"B&W" and "NORMAL" are respectively registered on two shortcut
buttons 1, 2 contained in the screen corresponding to the screen
number 3. For example, "B&W" stored in the area 11b4a for the
screen number 3 is a value which corresponds to a setting
customized by the user for black copy. A set value stored in a
predefined area in the flash memory 11 is assigned to this value.
Thus, when the user operates the shortcut button corresponding to
"B&W" which is displayed on the screen 50c (see FIG. 3), the
black copy is carried out with the set value corresponding to
"B&W" stored in the area 11b4a for the screen number 3. On the
other hand, no function is registered on the other shortcut buttons
4-6 contained in the screen corresponding to the screen number 3.
Also, no function is registered on the shortcut buttons contained
in the screens corresponding to the screen numbers 4, 5.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 3, the cyclically-arranged screen set 50 is
constituted by the five screens 50a-50e cyclically arranged in
order. That is, the screen displayed on the LCD 16 can be switched
in the following order: the screen 50a, the screen 50b, the screen
50c, the screen 50d, the screen 50e, the screen 50a, the screen
50b, and so on, and can also be switched in the following reverse
order: the screen 50e, the screen 50d, the screen 50c, the screen
50b, the screen 50a, the screen 50e, the screen 50d, and so on. In
the present embodiment, the display of the cyclically-arranged
screen set 50 is started with the display of the screen 50a as the
predefined screen when the MFP 1 is turned on or when the
implementation of the function such as the copying function is
finished.
[0035] Each of the screens 50a-50e includes: a display region 61 on
which images used for the screens 50a-50e in common are displayed;
and a display region 62 on which different images for each of the
screens 50a-50e are displayed. On the display region 61, there are
displayed a plurality of function buttons each for starting
implementation of a corresponding function such as the facsimile
function. On the display region 62, there are displayed various
images including: an image 71 which is different for each of the
screens 50a-50e; an image 72 which indicates a location of the
currently displayed screen in the cyclically-arranged screen set
50; and the next-screen transition buttons 73, 74 each of which
causes a screen transition from the currently displayed screen to a
next screen.
[0036] The image 71 displayed on the screen 50a represents a date
and time. The image 71 displayed on the screen 50b contains
function buttons each for causing implementation of a corresponding
one of advanced printing functions. In an example shown in FIG. 3,
the image 71 displayed on the screen 50b contains three function
buttons specific to the screen 50b. The image 71 displayed on the
screens 50c-50e each as the function screen contains the shortcut
buttons. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the image 71 displayed on
each of the screens 50c-50e contains the six shortcut buttons. Each
shortcut button with the registered function is displayed in a
manner corresponding to the registered function. In the example
shown in FIG. 3, among the shortcut buttons displayed on the screen
50c, the two buttons with texts "B&W" and "NORMAL" are the
shortcut buttons with the registered functions. It is noted that
the buttons with the texts "B&W" and "NORMAL" are buttons for
which the values assigned to their respective functions are stored
respectively in the area 11b4a and the area 11b4b for the screen
number 3 in the screen information table 11b. On the other hand,
each shortcut button on which no function has been registered has
the same external appearance, for example, each shortcut button is
a button with a cross being displayed thereon.
[0037] The image 72 is constituted by five circles respectively
corresponding to the screens of the cyclically-arranged screen set
50. One of the circles which corresponds to the screen number of
the currently displayed screen is displayed in a different manner
from the others (for example, the circle is painted out) to
indicate the location of the currently displayed screen in the
cyclically-arranged screen set 50. The next-screen transition
button 73 is a button which causes a transition of the screen
displayed on the LCD 16 in the following order (noted that the
number in parentheses represents the screen number): the screen 50a
(1), the screen 50b (2), the screen 50c (3), the screen 50d (4),
the screen 50e (5), the screen 50a (1), and so on. It is noted that
the order of the screens switched by the next-screen transition
button 73 may be hereinafter referred to as "ascending order". This
ascending order is an order from a small screen number toward a
large screen number. On the other hand, the next-screen transition
button, 74 is a button which causes a transition of the screen
displayed on the LCD 16 in the following order (noted that the
number in parentheses represents the screen number): the screen 50e
(5), the screen 50d (4), the screen 50c (3), the screen 50b (2),
the screen 50a (1), the screen 50e (5), and so on. It is noted that
the order of the screens (the screen numbers) switched by the
next-screen transition button 74 may be hereinafter referred to as
"descending order". This descending order is an order from a large
screen number toward a small screen number.
[0038] A predefined-screen transition button 81 is displayed on
each of the screens 50b-50e. The predefined-screen transition
button 81 is a button which causes a switch from the currently
displayed screen to the predefined screen. Providing this
predefined-screen transition button 81 allows the user to command
the LCD 16 to display the predefined screen with a single operation
without a need to repeat the flick operation or the operation on
the next-screen transition button 73 or 74 until the predefined
screen is displayed. It is noted that the predefined-screen
transition button 81 is not displayed on the screen set as the
predefined screen, in the present embodiment, the screen 50a.
[0039] When the user operates or touches the predefined-screen
transition button 81, the MFP 1 according to the present embodiment
scrolls the screens from the currently displayed screen to the
predefined screen. In the present embodiment, when the user
operates the predefined-screen transition button 81, the CPU 10
compares the number of screens to be displayed by the scrolling
from the currently displayed screen to the predefined screen in the
ascending order and the number of screens to be displayed by the
scrolling from the currently displayed screen to the predefined
screen in the descending order and then determines one of the
ascending order and the descending order with the fewer number of
screens to be displayed (i.e., the fewer number of the transition
screens) as the direction of the screen transition (i.e., the order
in which the screen number is changed). In other words, the CPU 10
determines one of the ascending order and the descending order
which one causes fewer screen transitions, as the direction of the
screen transition. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number
of the screen transitions during the scrolling (i.e., the number of
screens which are viewed by the user during the scrolling), thereby
reducing an amount of lowering of visual recognizability of the
screens when the predefined-screen transition button 81 is
operated. This allows the user to easily recognize the screen
transitions during the scrolling.
[0040] In addition, in the MFP 1 according to the present
embodiment, in a case where the CPU 10 calculates the number of
transition screens when the screens are scrolled from the currently
displayed screen in the ascending order and the number of
transition screens when the screens are scrolled from the currently
displayed screen in the descending order, the CPU 10 makes the
calculation by excluding the number of function screens in each of
which no function has been registered on any of the shortcut
buttons among the function screens (the screens 50c-50e). It is
noted that such a function screen may be hereinafter referred to as
"no-function registered screen". There is not much need for the
user to visually recognize the no-function registered screens
during the scrolling from the currently displayed screen to the
predefined screen. In this MFP 1, the CPU 10 calculates the number
of transition screens by excluding the number of the no-function
registered screens and inhibits the display of the no-function
registered screens during the scrolling from the currently
displayed screen to the predefined screen. Thus, the user views the
less number of screens during the scrolling, allowing the user to
recognize the screen transitions during the scrolling more
easily.
[0041] FIG. 4 is a schematic view for explaining the calculation of
the number of transition screens from the currently displayed
screen to the predefined screen. Since the cyclically-arranged
screen set 50 is, as described above, constituted by the five
screens 50a-50e cyclically arranged in order, the screens 50a-50e
are arranged in the order of the screen numbers in FIG. 4 to
represent continuity of the display screens when the
cyclically-arranged screen set 50 is scrolled in the order of the
arrangement. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the screen 50c is
displayed on a display region of the LCD 16 (within a bold-line
box), and now suppose the user operates the predefined-screen
transition button 81 displayed on the screen 50c. It is noted that
the hatched screens 50d, 50e are the no-function registered
screens.
[0042] Without the no-function registered screens being considered,
the screens transited in the order of the arrangement of the
cyclically-arranged screen set 50 during the scrolling from the
screen 50c as the currently displayed screen to the screen 50a as
the predefined screen include the screens 50d, 50e and the screen
50a as the predefined screen where the order of the switch of the
screen numbers is the ascending order and include the screen 50b
and the screen 50a where the order of the switch of the screen
numbers is the descending order. That is, without the no-function
registered screens being considered, the number of the screens
transited in the order of the arrangement of the
cyclically-arranged screen set 50 during the scrolling from the
screen 50c to the screen 50a (hereinafter the number may be
referred to as "number of all the transition screens") is three
where the order is the ascending order and is two where the order
is the descending order.
[0043] As described above, when determining the direction of the
screen transition, the CPU 10 makes the calculation by excluding or
subtracting the number of the no-function registered screens from
the number of all the transition screens. The number of the
no-function registered screens may be hereinafter referred to as
"number of the excluded screens". In the example shown in FIG. 4,
since the no-function registered screens are the screens 50d, 50e,
the number of the excluded screens is two where the order of the
switch of the screen numbers is the ascending order, and the number
of the excluded screens is zero where the order of the switch of
the screen numbers is the descending order. Thus, the number of
transition screens used for the determination of the direction of
the screen transition is 1 (=3-2) where the order of the switch of
the screen numbers is the ascending order, and the number of
transition screens is 2 (=2-0) where the order of the switch of the
screen numbers is the descending order. As a result, the ascending
order that causes the fewer number of the screen transitions than
the descending order is determined as the direction of the screen
transition.
[0044] There will be next explained the scrolling from the
currently displayed screen to the predefined screen with reference
to FIGS. 5A-5D. It is noted that FIGS. 5A-5D show the scrolling in
a case where the predefined-screen transition button 81 has been
operated in the example shown in FIG. 4.
[0045] FIG. 5A is a view showing the state in which the screen 50c
is displayed on the display region of the LCD 16 (within a
bold-line box). As described above, when the predefined-screen
transition button 81 on the screen 50c is operated in the example
shown in FIG. 4, the ascending order is determined as the direction
of the screen transition. That is, the screens to be displayed on
the LCD 16 are scrolled in a direction in which the screen numbers
are changed in the order of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, and so on. Thus, when
the predefined-screen transition button 81 on the screen 50c is
operated with the screen 50e being displayed on the LCD 16, the
screen 50c starts to be scrolled leftward as viewed from the front
of the display region of the LCD 16. When the scrolling is started,
a screen to be displayed following the screen 50c in the order of
the arrangement of the cyclically-arranged screen set 50 starts to
be displayed continuously to the screen 50c from the right side as
viewed from the front of the display region of the LCD 16.
[0046] FIGS. 5B-5D show a process of the scrolling from the screen
50c to the predefined screen 50a after the predefined-screen
transition button 81 on the screen 50c is operated. The screens
50d, 50e corresponding to the respective screen numbers 4, 5 are
the no-function registered screens. In the present embodiment, the
no-function registered screens, i.e., the screens 50d, 50e are
excluded from the screens to be displayed during the scrolling from
the currently displayed screen to the predefined screen. Thus, the
screen following the screen 50c in the order of the arrangement of
the cyclically-arranged screen set 50 is the predefined screen 50a
corresponding to the screen number 1. When the scrolling is started
in response to the operation on the predefined-screen transition
button 81 on the screen 50c, as shown in FIG. 5B, the screen 50c is
gradually scrolled leftward and disappears from the display region
of the LCD 16. Meanwhile, the screen 50a as the next screen in the
ascending order gradually appears from the opposite side, i.e., the
right side. It is noted that, among the two screens displayed on
the LCD 16, a screen which disappears by the scrolling may be
hereinafter referred to as "disappearing screen". After the start
of the scrolling, as shown in FIG. 5C, a ratio of the screen 50c as
the disappearing screen to the display region decreases with a
lapse of time, and accordingly a ratio of the screen 50d as the
next screen to the display region increases. Finally, as shown in
FIG. 5D, an entirety of the screen 50a as the predefined screen is
displayed.
[0047] There will be next explained, with reference to FIG. 6, a
cyclically-arranged-screen-set display processing executed by the
CPU 10 of the MFP 1 according to the control program 11a. The
cyclically-arranged-screen-set display processing is a processing
for displaying the cyclically-arranged screen set 50 (i.e., the
screens 50a-50e) on the LCD 16. The cyclically-arranged-screen-set
display processing is started when the MFP 1 is turned on, or when
a command for displaying the cyclically-arranged screen set 50 is
inputted in a state in which a screen that is not included in the
cyclically-arranged screen set 50 is displayed, or when the
implementation of the function such as the copying function is
finished. It is noted that the screen 50a is set as the predefined
screen.
[0048] Initially at S601, the CPU 10 displays the predefined screen
50a of the cyclically-arranged screen set 50 on the LCD 16. When
the screen being displayed on the LCD 16 is a screen that is
different from the predefined screen 50a (any of the screens
50b-50e) (S602: No), the CPU 10 at S603 displays the
predefined-screen transition button 81 on the currently displayed
screen, and this display processing goes to S604. On the other
hand, when the screen being displayed on the LCD 16 is the
predefined screen 50a (S602: Yes), this display processing goes to
S604. According to S602 and S603, the predefined-screen transition
button 81 is displayed only when the screen being displayed on the
LCD 16 is the screen different from the predefined screen 50a and
not displayed when the screen being displayed on the LCD 16 is the
predefined screen 50a.
[0049] When the CPU 10 at S604 receives a user input from the touch
panel 17 (S604: Yes), this display processing goes to S605. On the
other hand, when the CPU 10 receives no user input from the touch
panel 17 (S604: No), this display processing returns to S604. The
CPU 10 at S605 analyzes the user input. In the present embodiment,
the user input which can be performed during the display of the
cyclically-arranged screen set 50 includes: an instruction for a
screen transition to the screen other than the cyclically-arranged
screen set 50 (e.g., the operation on one of the function buttons
displayed on the display region 61); the operation on the
predefined-screen transition button 81; and an instruction for one
of the other screen transitions in the cyclically-arranged screen
set 50 (e.g., the flick operation or the operation on the
next-screen transition button 73 or 74).
[0050] When a result of the analysis of the user input shows that
the user input is the instruction for the screen transition to the
screen other than the cyclically-arranged screen set 50 (e.g., the
operation on one of the function buttons displayed on the display
region 61) (S606: Yes), this display processing ends. On the other
hand, the result of the analysis of the user input shows that the
user input is not the operation on the predefined-screen transition
button 81, that is, the user input is the flick operation or the
operation on the next-screen transition button 73 or 74 (S607: No),
the CPU 10 at S613 stores the direction of the screen transition
(the ascending order or the descending order) for this operation
into the transition direction memory 11c. At S614, the CPU 10
executes, as a screen display processing, a processing for
displaying a destination screen in response to the flick operation
or the operation on the next-screen transition button 73 or 74, and
the processing returns to S602.
[0051] When the result of the analysis of the user input shows at
S607 that the user input is the operation on the predefined-screen
transition button 81 (S607: Yes), the CPU 10 at S608 executes a
transition-direction determination processing for determining the
direction of the screen transition. It is noted that this
transition-direction determination processing will be explained
later in detail with reference to FIG. 7. The CPU 10 at S609
determines a scroll speed based on the number of transition screens
in the transition direction that has been determined in the
transition-direction determination processing (S608). The scroll
speed determined at S609 is a moving amount (distance) by which the
screens displayed on the LCD 16 (i.e., the disappearing screen and
the next screen) are moved per frame. In the present embodiment, a
length of time from the operation on the predefined-screen
transition button 81 to the display of the predefined screen 50a is
a constant length of time regardless of the number of transition
screens. Thus, the fewer the number of transition screens, the
slower the scroll speed is. Also, in the present embodiment, the
number of frames displayed per second is fixed (for example, the
number is 20 fps). Thus, the fewer the number of transition
screens, the greater the moving amount of each screen per frame
is.
[0052] At S610, the CPU 10, based on the determined scroll speed,
calculates an amount of the movement of the images displayed in the
current frame to determine contents of a screen to be displayed in
the next frame. At S611, the CPU 10 executes an LCD display
processing for controlling the LCD 16 to display the screen for the
next frame based on the determined display contents. Specifically,
in the LCD display processing (S611), the CPU 10 displays the
screen for the next frame on the LCD 16 by reading required
background images and parts images from the display image memory
lid based on the determined display contents and then creating
image data in the LCD buffer 12a, which image data is
representative of the screen for the next frame in which the read
images are arranged based on the determined display contents. After
S611, when the screen being displayed on the LCD 16 is not the
predefined screen 50a (S612: No), this display processing returns
to S610 at which the screen for the next frame is created and
displayed on the LCD 16. On the other hand, when the screen being
displayed on the LCD 16 is the predefined screen 50a (S612: Yes),
this display processing returns to S602.
[0053] There will be next explained the transition-direction
determination processing (S608) with reference to FIG. 7. This
transition-direction determination processing begins with S701 at
which the CPU 10 calculates the number of all the transition
screens from the currently displayed screen to the predefined
screen 50a in the ascending order of the screen numbers and the
number thereof in the descending order. When the transition screens
include one or more no-function registered screens in the ascending
order (S702: Yes), the CPU 10 at S703 calculates the number of the
no-function registered screens (the number of the excluded screens)
in the ascending order, and this determination processing goes to
S704. On the other hand, when the transition screens do not include
any no-function registered screens in the ascending order (S702:
No), this determination processing goes to S704. When the
transition screens include one or more no-function registered
screens in the descending order (S704: Yes), the CPU 10 at S705
calculates the number of the no-function registered screens (the
number of the excluded screens) in the descending order, and this
determination processing goes to S706. On the other hand, when the
transition screens do not include any no-function registered
screens in the descending order (S704: No), this determination
processing goes to S706.
[0054] At S706, the CPU 10 calculates the number of transition
screens (="the number of all the transition screens"-"the number of
the excluded screens") in the ascending order and the number of
transition screens in the descending order. When the calculated
number of transition screens in the ascending order and the
calculated number of transition screens in the descending order are
different from each other (S707: No), the CPU 10 at S708
determines, as the transition direction, one of the ascending order
and the descending order with a fewer number of transition screens.
On the other hand, when the calculated number of transition screens
in the ascending order and the calculated number of transition
screens in the descending order are equal to each other (S707:
Yes), the CPU 10 at S710 determines, as the transition direction, a
direction that is opposite to the transition direction stored in
the transition direction memory 11c. That is, where the value
stored in the transition direction memory 11c is a value indicative
of the ascending order, the descending order is determined as the
transition direction. On the other hand, where the value stored in
the transition direction memory 11c is a value indicative of the
descending order, the ascending order is determined as the
transition direction. Following S708 or S710, the CPU 10 at S709
sets the no-function registered screen(s) present in the transition
direction, such that the no-function registered screen(s) do not
appear on the LCD 16 during the scrolling, and this determination
processing ends.
[0055] In the MFP 1 according to the present embodiment as
described above, when the predefined-screen transition button 81 is
operated, the screens are scrolled from the currently displayed
screen to the predefined screen. Thus, the user can easily
recognize the screen transitions from the currently displayed
screen to the predefined screen, and feelings of operating the
screen can be given to the user. In particular, when the
predefined-screen transition button 81 is operated, the CPU 10
determines, as the direction of the screen transition, one of the
number of transition screens where the screen number is switched in
the ascending order of the screen numbers and the number of
transition screens where the screen number is switched in the
descending order of the screen numbers, which one is smaller in the
number of transition screens than the other. Therefore, it is
possible to reduce the number of screens which are viewed by the
user during the scrolling as few as possible, thereby making it
possible, when the predefined-screen transition button 81 is
operated, to reduce the amount of the lowering of the visual screen
recognizability before the predefined screen is displayed. This
allows the user to easily recognize the screen transitions during
the scrolling. Therefore, it is possible to enhance convenience to
the user when the cyclically-arranged screen set 50 is
displayed.
[0056] In the MFP 1 according to the present embodiment, the CPU 10
calculates the number of transition screens by excluding the number
of the no-function registered screens to determine the transition
direction. Thus, the number of transition screens can be calculated
as a smaller value. Also, since the no-function registered screens
are excluded from the screens to be displayed, the user views the
less number of screens during the scrolling, allowing a slower
speed of the scrolling. Thus, the user can recognize the screen
transition during the scrolling more easily.
[0057] In the MFP 1 according to the present embodiment, the
predefined-screen transition button 81 is displayed only when the
screen being displayed on the LCD 16 is the screen different from
the predefined screen 50a, and is not displayed on the predefined
screen 50a. That is, the predefined-screen transition button 81 is
configured not to be operable when the predefined screen 50a is
being displayed on the LCD 16. When the predefined screen 50a is
being displayed on the LCD 16, there is no need for the user to
operate the predefined-screen transition button 81 which is the
button for causing the screen transition to the predefined screen
50a. Therefore, since the predefined-screen transition button 81 is
not displayed on the predefined screen 50a in the present
embodiment, the user can be prevented from performing the needless
operation, which causes an unnecessary load of the control.
[0058] In the MFP 1 according to the present embodiment, when the
calculated number of transition screens in the ascending order and
the calculated number of transition screens in the descending order
are equal to each other (S707: Yes); the CPU 10 at S710 determines,
as the transition direction, the direction that is opposite to the
transition direction stored in the transition direction memory 11c.
That is, if the positive decision is obtained at S707, the MFP 1,
based on a switching order responsive to a previous image switch
command, switches or scrolls the images in order in which the
images are returned, thereby giving less discomfort to the
user.
[0059] In the above-described embodiment, the MFP 1 is one example
of a display apparatus. The LCD 16 is one example of a display. The
flash memory 11 is one example of a storage. The predefined-screen
transition button 81 is one example of an operation unit. The CPU
10 can be considered to include an image display unit that can
execute the processings at S601 and S614. The CPU 10 can also be
considered to include a display switching unit that can execute the
processings at S610-S612 and S614. The CPU 10 can also be
considered to include a command receiving unit that can execute the
processings at S603, S604, and S605 and for the positive decision
at S607. The CPU 10 can also be considered to include an
image-number obtaining unit that can execute the processings at
S701-S706. The CPU 10 can also be considered to include a
switching-order determining unit that can execute the processings
at S708 and S710. The CPU 10 can also be considered to include a
display-data creating unit that can execute the processing at S610
and S709. The CPU 10 can also be considered to include a
second-command receiving unit that can execute the processings at
S604 and S605 and for the negative decision at S607. The CPU 10 can
also be considered to include a switching-order storing unit that
can execute the processing at S613.
[0060] While the embodiment of the present invention has been
described above, it is to be understood that the invention is not
limited to the details of the illustrated embodiment, but may be
embodied with various changes and modifications, which may occur to
those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention.
[0061] For example, while the present invention is applied to the
multifunction device in the form of the MFP 1 in the
above-described embodiment, the present invention is applicable to
any device that is configured to display a plurality of screens
such as the cyclically-arranged screen set 50 which are switchable
cyclically in a predetermined display order.
[0062] While one of the screens 50a-50e is switched to another in
the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applicable
to a display apparatus configured to display a plurality of icon
images such that these icon images can be switched cyclically in a
predetermined display order. For example, the MFP 1 may be
configured as follows: when the user operates one button in a state
in which some of the icon images switchable cyclically in the
predetermined display order are being displayed on the LCD 16, the
icon images are scrolled in a transition direction with the fewer
number of transition images such that one icon image being in a
selected state (in an active state) and displayed in a manner
different from that of the other images among the icon images being
displayed is switched to an icon image as the predefined image.
[0063] FIG. 8 is a view for explaining this modification. It is
noted that the same reference numerals as used in the
above-described embodiment are used to designate the corresponding
elements of this modification, and an explanation of which is
dispensed with. As shown in FIG. 8A, there is a cyclically-arranged
icon set 150 which is constituted by a plurality of icon images
150a-150h respectively corresponding to image numbers 1-8. This
cyclically-arranged icon set 150 is contained in a screen 500
displayed on the LCD 16 such that some of the icon images 150a-150h
are arranged in order of their respective image numbers. In an
example shown in FIG. 8B, the screen 500 contains five icon images
150c-150g (icon images respectively having image numbers 3-7) of
the cyclically-arranged icon set 150. An icon image located in the
middle of the five icon images 150c-150g displayed on the screen
500 (in this example, the icon image 150e) is automatically changed
to the selected state (the active state) and displayed in a manner
different from that of the other icon images. For example, the icon
image in the selected state is displayed in a different color from
that of the other images. In the example shown in FIG. 8B, the icon
image 150e being in the selected state is hatched to indicate a
difference in the display manner from the icon images 150c, 150d,
150f, 150g each not being in the selected state.
[0064] The screen 500 for displaying the cyclically-arranged icon
set 150 contains next-image transition buttons 173, 174. The
next-image transition button 173 is a button which causes an image
transition such that a leftmost icon image as viewed from the front
of the screen 500 is dismissed, the currently-displayed icon images
are moved leftward, and an icon image whose image number is next
larger than a rightmost icon as viewed from the front of the screen
500 is displayed from the right side of the screen 500. On the
other hand, the next-image transition button 174 is a button which
causes an image transition such that a rightmost icon image as
viewed from the front of the screen 500 is dismissed, the
currently-displayed icon images are moved rightward, and an icon
image whose image number is next smaller a leftmost icon as viewed
as viewed from the front of the screen 500 is displayed from the
left side of the screen 500. That is, the next-image transition
button 173 is a button for switching the icons of the
cyclically-arranged icon set 150 displayed on the screen 500 in the
ascending order, i.e., in increasing order of the image number
while the next-image transition button 174 is a button for
switching the icons of the cyclically-arranged icon set 150
displayed on the screen 500 in the descending order, i.e., in
decreasing order of the image number.
[0065] The screen 500 contains a predefined-image transition button
181 which has a function similar to that of the predefined-screen
transition button 81 in the above-described embodiment. The
predefined-image transition button 181 is a button which causes
image transitions such that an icon image which is defined as a
reference in advance (hereinafter may be referred to as "predefined
image") is moved to a position at which the predefined image
becomes the selected state (i.e., the position in the middle of the
plurality of icon images displayed on the screen 500). In this
modification, the predefined-image transition button 181 is one
example of the operation unit. It is noted that the predefined
image is one of the icon images that constitute the
cyclically-arranged icon set 150, and the user can set the
predefined image as needed like the predefined screen in the
above-described embodiment. As in the above-described embodiment,
providing the predefined-image transition button 181 allows the
user to command the LCD 16 to display the predefined image in the
selected state with a single operation without a need to repeat the
flick operation or the operation on the next-image transition
button 173 or 174 until the predefined image is displayed. It is
noted that the predefined-image transition button 181 is preferably
not displayed when the icon image being in the selected state is
the predefined image.
[0066] When the predefined-image transition button 181 is operated,
the CPU 10 may calculate the number of transition images from the
icon image being in the selected state to the predefined image in
the ascending order and the number of transition images from the
icon image being in the selected state to the predefined image in
the descending order, and then the icon images may be scrolled in a
transition direction with the fewer number of transition images.
The scroll speed may be calculated according to the number of
transition images. For example, to display each of the icon images
of the cyclically-arranged icon set 150 on the screen 500, each
icon image may be moved by the same amount (i.e., the same distance
in the scroll direction) with the operation, e.g., on the
next-image transition button 173 or 174. That is, the scrolling of
the icon image may be designed such that even where the icon images
of the cyclically-arranged icon set 150 have different sizes and/or
shapes from one another, such a difference has no effect on the
moving speed. It is noted that the scroll speed may be calculated,
taking into consideration the size and/or shape of each of the icon
images of the cyclically-arranged icon set 150. The MFP as the
above-described modification may be configured such that the
cyclically-arranged icon set 150 contains one or more shortcut
buttons on each of which the user can register a function. Where
the cyclically-arranged icon set 150 includes any shortcut button
on which no function has been registered in such a configuration,
the number of the images representative of the shortcut buttons may
be excluded from the number of all the transition images as in the
above-described embodiment.
[0067] In a case where images corresponding to a plurality of
setting items are arranged so as to be scrollable in a
predetermined display order instead of the plurality of icon images
(the cyclically-arranged icon set 150) switchable cyclically in the
predetermined display order as in the above-described modification,
the present invention may be applied to the switch of such
images.
[0068] While the length of time from the operation on the
predefined-screen transition button 81 to the display of the
predefined screen is fixed in the above-described embodiment, the
scroll speed of the screens (i.e., a speed of the switch of the
screen) may be fixed. As described above, when the
predefined-screen transition button 81 is operated, the CPU 10
determines, as the direction of the screen transition, one of the
number of transition screens where the screen is switched in the
ascending order of the screen numbers and the number of transition
screens where the screen is switched in the descending order of the
screen numbers, which one is smaller in the number of transition
screens than the other. In this case, where the scroll speed is
fixed, the fewer the number of transition screens, the shorter the
length of time from the operation on the predefined-screen
transition button 81 to the display of the predefined screen can be
made.
[0069] In the above-described embodiment, the number of all the
transition screens is the number which is obtained by adding the
number of the predefined screen to the number of screens between
the currently displayed screen and the predefined screen, that is,
the currently displayed screen is not considered for the counting
of the number of all the transition screens. Instead of this
configuration, the number of all the transition screens may be the
number of the screens between the currently displayed screen and
the predefined screen without considering the currently displayed
screen and the predefined screen. In another modification, the
number of all the transition screens may be the number which is
obtained by adding the number of the currently displayed screen to
the number of the screens between the currently displayed screen
and the predefined screen, that is, the predefined screen is not
considered for the counting of the number of all the transition
screens. In another modification, the number of all the transition
screens may be the number which is obtained by adding the number of
the currently displayed screen and the number of the predefined
screen to the number of the screens between the currently displayed
screen and the predefined screen. That is, the number of all the
transition screens only needs to be the number of screens that are
present in a predetermined range from the currently displayed
screen to the predefined screen,
[0070] While the number of transition screens is calculated by
excluding the number of the no-function registered screens in the
above-described embodiment, the number of transition screens may be
calculated without excluding the no-function registered screens.
That is, the calculation may be made using the number of all the
transition screens as the number of transition screens.
[0071] While the number of all the transition screens is calculated
for each of the ascending order and the descending order in the
above-described embodiment, the CPU 10 may calculate the number of
all the transition screens in only one of the ascending order and
the descending order. For the number of all the transition screens
in the other of the ascending order and the descending order, there
may be used a value which is obtained by subtracting the number of
all the transition screens calculated for one of the ascending
order and the descending order from the number of all the screens
constituting the cyclically-arranged screen set 50, which number of
all the screens is predefined without calculation as five in the
above-described embodiment.
[0072] While the transition direction is determined based on the
number of transition images in the above-described embodiment, the
CPU 10 may calculate a distance which is obtained by multiplying
the number of transition images by a width of the display region of
the LCD 16 in the scroll direction, to determine the transition
direction based on the calculated distance.
[0073] While the number of the frames displayed per second is
fixed, and the scroll speed (the moving speed of the screen) is
calculated as the moving amount of each screen per frame in the
above-described embodiment, the scroll speed may be calculated as
the number of the frames displayed per second, with the moving
amount of each screen per frame being fixed. In this configuration,
the fewer the number of transition screens, the fewer the number of
the frames displayed per second becomes. For example, where the
number of transition screens is three, the number of the frames
displayed per second can be made 12 fps, and where the number of
transition screens is five, the number of the frames displayed per
second can be made 20 fps.
[0074] While the predefined-screen transition button 81 is
displayed on the LCD 16 and operated by the user using the touch
panel 17 in the above-described embodiment, the predefined-screen
transition button 81 may be a hard button provided on the MFP 1. In
such a configuration, the MFP 1 is configured, for example, such
that the CPU 10 enables a receipt of an operation on the hard
button where the screen different from the predefined screen is
displayed, and the CPU 10 disables the receipt of the operation on
the hard button where the predefined screen is displayed.
Alternatively, the predefined-screen transition button 81 may be a
button of an electrostatic sensor type provided on a housing of the
MFP 1. In such a configuration, if the negative decision is
obtained at S602, the CPU 10 at S603 may enable a receipt of an
operation on the button and control the button to illuminate for
allowing the user to recognize it. On the other hand, if the
positive decision is obtained at S602, the CPU at S603 may disable
the receipt of the operation on the hard button and control the
button not to illuminate.
[0075] While the number of screens constituting the
cyclically-arranged screen set 50 is fixed in the above-described
embodiment, the MFP 1 may be configured such that the user can add
one or more screens, e.g., the function screens, as needed. Also,
the MFP 1 may be configured such that the user can reduce one or
more screens, e.g., the function screens, as needed to reduce the
number of screens constituting the cyclically-arranged screen set
50.
[0076] While each of the screens 50a-50e of the cyclically-arranged
screen set 50 is switched cyclically in the predetermined display
order in the above-described embodiment, the screen displayed on
the LCD 16 may be switched from the currently displayed screen
directly to the predefined screen 50a when the command for
displaying the cyclically-arranged screen set 50 is inputted in the
state in which the screen that is not included in the
cyclically-arranged screen set 50 is displayed.
[0077] While the predefined screen can be set by the predetermined
operation in the above-described embodiment, the MFP 1 may be
configured such that the CPU 10 counts the number of operations on
each of the screens 50a-50e of the cyclically-arranged screen set
50, and one of the screens 50a-50e with the largest number of
operations is automatically set as the predefined screen at a
predetermined timing. It is noted that the predetermined timing
includes: a timing when the user operates a predetermined button;
each timing when the cyclically-arranged-screen-set display
processing in FIG. 6 is started; and a timing when the MFP 1 is
turned on. Also, in the configuration in which the predefined
screen can be set by the predetermined operation, the MFP 1 may be
configured such that each no-function registered screen is
automatically inhibited from being set as the predefined
screen.
[0078] While the display region 61 and the display region 62 are
both displayed when each of the screens 50a-50e is scrolled in the
above-described embodiment, the CPU 10 may scroll only the contents
of the display region 62 on which the different images for each of
the screens 50a-50e are displayed. In this scrolling, images
displayed on the display region 61 such as function buttons and
images indicating a status of the MFP 1 are not scrolled and fixed.
It is noted that the images indicating the status of the MFP 1
include an image that represents a remaining amount of ink used for
the printer 19.
[0079] In the above-described embodiment, when the
predefined-screen transition button 81 is operated, the screen is
switched from the currently displayed screen to the predefined
screen without stopping the scrolling. Nevertheless, when the user
performs a predetermined operation, e.g., the touch on the screen,
during the scrolling caused by the operation on the
predefined-screen transition button 81, the CPU 10 may stop the
scrolling and display the screen different from the predefined
screen. In this case, the CPU 10 displays the screen that is
located at the touched position, for example. Alternatively, when
two screens, i,e., the disappearing screen and the next screen, are
being displayed, the CPU 10 may display one of the two screens
which has a larger display area. Since the MFP 1 determines the
direction of the screen transition such that the number of the
screen transitions during the scrolling is as few as possible, the
user can easily recognize the screen transitions during the
scrolling. Thus, the configuration mentioned above is preferably
employed for the MFP 1.
[0080] In the above-described embodiment, the CPU 10 sequentially
displays the display data in which the screens are moved by the
moving amounts related to the scroll speed during the scrolling.
Nevertheless, the CPU 10 may sequentially switch the screen from
the currently displayed screen to the predefined screen on a
screen-by-screen basis in the determined transition direction
(i.e., the ascending order or the descending order). That is, when
scrolling the screen from the screen 50c to the predefined screen
50a, for example, the CPU 10 may display the screen 50b after the
screen 50c without displaying a part of the screen 50c and a part
of the screen 50b at the same time.
* * * * *